Category "food-science"

What actually happens if you pour a glaze over a loaf cake before it has cooled?

Taking a regular loaf cake, say a pound cake, and a glaze of about 3/4 cup confectioners sugar to 2 Tablespoons liquid: What actually happens if you pour a gla

How can I tell if this is baking soda or powder?

Sure it'd be easier and cheap to just buy new soda and powder but I'm curious. I had a jar of either baking soda or powder. The marker with which I'd labeled

How to eat a spruce tree

Big farm to table dinner coming up. I'm showcasing the vegetables that are readily available this season. There is a beautiful spruce tree on the farm that I'd

What is this paste I got from boiling down coconut "whey"?

I have been fascinated with taking byproducts of a fresh coconut, and this time I got this sweet and very sour paste from boiling down coconut "whey" First, le

Braising brisket internal temperature

I am going to braise 22 pounds of brisket for 6-8 hours at 225°. What temperature should the brisket be internally before I pull out to cool? I have been to

What's the function of acerola powder in bread?

While I was reading the ingredients list of a supermarket-bought bread (in the Netherlands) the other day, one of them caught my eye: acerola powder. I know ace

Fresh spices vs Dried spices

I am new to this community and I have a question in mind. Spices like garlic , cinnamon etc after drying lose the volatile oil content in them. [HERE, HERE] T

Eating with silvered cutlery

I have a set of silvered cutlery with which i often eat. I recently heard that the handles of a lot of older silvered cutlery is filled with lead or they are e

Why does storing bread in a plastic (grocery) bag keep it fresh longer?

I accidentally stumbled upon this 'trick' a week ago when I forgot about a baguette that I bought for a party and never used. It was half-covered (loosely) by a

What's the point of hot food?

Many people prefer certain dishes and drinks to be hot (or cold). I can understand the impact it has on mouthfeel for some foods (cold pizza has a very differe

Eggs used as Binders

Eggs are commonly used as a binder in meatballs and other foods. If separated, is one part of the egg a stronger binder: Is the white a stronger binder than

Can one eat a balanced diet if one only cooks once a week?

Is it possible to have a balanced (healthy) diet if one only cooks once a week? I am talking about batch cooking, not eating lots of costly pre-made foods. &r

1 ltr Milk is not curdling even after squeezing 2 lemons; What could possibly wrong?

I was trying to make Paneer (a type of cheese). So I boiled once then added 2 table spoons of lemon juice. Milk should be separated out instantly from water but

How long does it take to pasteurize something at 60C?

Take for example a custard. I recall reading somewhere, probably on the internet, that heating it to 70C will kill all the bacteria in it for sure. I also recal

Physics/chemistry behind the observation

This is purely observation based. Any time I have cooking something on the stove, if I change intensity in any direction - reducing or increasing the heat, it s

Should pasta be started in cold or boiling water?

There are two main methods, either putting the strands into water already at boiling point, or putting them in cold water and then putting on the heat. Which

Why add salt to the water when cooking pasta?

What is the effect of adding salt to the water when cooking pasta?

What can be used safely (e.g. basalt "hot stones") to fill volume of shallow pan for deep frying?

I have an electric hot pot that would be good for deep frying as it automatically controls heat. However, the pot itself is more of a pan - shallow and wide. I

Does reduced fat milk contain additives to mimic the taste of whole milk?

I was told by a chef who trained me to make certain dishes, as well as certain baked goods that when using milk, the "healthier" option is to use whole milk ove

Are there any dishes that utilize burnt garlic?

I was reading a question and in it, burnt garlic was a topic in which the answerer said that burnt (very brown, not black) garlic is bitter. They went on furthe